Shopping in Sihanoukville
Shopping in Sihanoukville
Sihanouk Ville does not offer souvenir shopping comparable to Phnom Penh or Siem Reap, but Sihanouk Ville’s shopping opportunities are growing. Several convenience stores/small supermarkets are now scattered across the town, offering a good selections of all of the usual traveler’s needs. And now there are even a few cool souvenirs to be had in Sihanouk Ville. There are some good T-shirts available at bars and guesthouses and some cool clothing and accessories for sale at places like Boom Boom Room. Of particular interest, the very popular NGO-based Cambodian arts and crafts association, Rajana, has just opened its first outlet in Sihanoukville, located above the Starfish Café. The Rajana shop has a good selection of Cambodian arts and crafts, jewelry, textiles, coffees, spices and more. (012-789350, www.rajanacrafts.org .) Another local NGO, M’Lop Tapang, offers products made and marketed by disadvantaged women and children. Available at the M’Lop Tapang shop on Serendipity Beach as well as Holy Cow, Starfish Café, and Geckozy.
A souvenir unique to Sihanoukville: scale model wooden Cambodian fishing boats handcrafted by a local French shipwright. The models are detailed wooden miniatures of fishing boats used along Cambodia’s coast, and are accurate in the construction details inside and out. Each is individually numbered. Sold at some bars and restaurants.
Traditional Markets
Phsar Leu (Upper Market)
When people refer to ‘the market’, they mean this one. Phsar Leu is the largest phsar in town - a dimly lit, partially roofed expanse of booths, stalls and mats vending everything from fresh meat and vegetables to clothing, auto parts, jewelry, etc. Opens and closes with the sun. On 7 Makara near Omui Street.
Convenience Stores
There are really only four shops specializing in imported foods and drinks.
Chamroeun Phal Supermarket
Cold drinks, beer, spirits, soda, canned good, soft drinks. Foreign exchange. Boat/bus tickets. Sitting area with cable TV, snacks, hot dogs. Open 7AM - Midnight. On Ekareach in the center of downtown. Tel: 034-934065 Visa
Ocean Mart
Convenience store near Ochheuteal/ Serendipity/Sokha beaches offering lots of snacks, soft drinks, beer, wine, beach needs and more. Burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches. Internet access. At the CCS Hotel on Ekareach near the Golden Lion Traffic Circle. Open 24 hours. 012-266664 Visa/MC
Orange Supermarket
Bright orange convenience store located on the corner of Ekareach and Sopheakmongkol Streets in the center of downtown. Snacks, soft drinks, ice cream, beer, wine, spirits, sundries, toiletries, beach needs and more. Open 7AM-10PM. Visa/MC
Samudera
Popular, long established supermarket. Good stock of foreign foods, drinks, spirits, wines, cigarettes, imports. Good business connections. Visa services. Air tickets. Foreign exchange. Located downtown on 7 Makara Street. Open 7:00 - 20:00. Tel: 034-933441 Visa/MC
Bakeries
Like most of Indochina, local bread comes in the form of baguettes, freshly baked each evening. Bread is sold from sandwich carts and by ‘bread boys’ who roam the town calling “num-paan” and hawking baguettes from oversized baskets.
Starfish Bakery Cafe
(see map) Excellent, fresh baked, western style breads and pastries. Rave reviews.
Sokha Beach Resort
Freshly baked, finely prepared desserts, pastries, cakes, pies and more.
Photo Shops
Not the highest quality film processing in Cambodia but it will do in a pinch. Fresh film, disposable cameras.
Ana Internet and Travel
Digital camera to CD or print. On Ekareach St. 034-933596
Apsara Photocopy
Photo processing. Digital camera to CD or print. Some photo supplies. On Street 108
CD/VCD/DVD/MP3
Boom Boom Room
A massive music selection for iPod and MP3 recording. Also audio CDs and cool clothing.
#1) Weather Station Hill Tel: 012-709096
#2) At Serendipity Beach
CD World
DVD, VCD, software, Playstation and music. Digital camera to CD.
Downtown, opposite the market
Tel: 012-840455
Books, Newspapers & Magazines
Q&A Restaurant and Mr. Heinz bookshop, both on Ekareach Street downtown, and Casablanca Books at Mick & Craig’s near the Golden Lions Traffic Circle, all carry good selections of used and new books including novels, travel and Cambodia related titles - buy, sell or trade. Other places with smaller selections of books include Starfish Bakery, Serenity and Mash/Melting Pot. The Cambodia Daily and the Phnom Penh Post can usually be found at stands in front of Phsar Leu. Some guesthouses and bars have copies of the popular Cambodia tourism magazine, Bayon Pearnik.

 What NOT to Buy
You may notice stands along the roads selling seashells and coral. The harvesting of coral and shells is destroying reefs, damaging the ocean environment and is illegal. Further, those shells are so shiny and beautiful because they contained living animals when they were collected - animals now dead to provide such perfect specimens. Please do not encourage this trade.
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